Thrones and Thorns
Thrones and Thorns is a 2014 biographical animation film based on the life of Emperor Honoluras, one of the last emperors of Kormistazm. The animation was co-production between Axdelian Rulique technical arts college and Valkyr Morostund Studio, it is directed and produced by Nicolai Ny'Børzin, the script written jointly by Dr. Heiqqo Ñala and Karianne Nerison. It features several famous Axdelian voice actors, including Ñazj Jaulva in the star role as Emperor Honoluras. The film covers Honoluras life as a child all the way to his reign, later on including his death in the duel between himself and king Lambertus IV. The animation features blend of traditional hand drawn animation in the traditional Valkyr style, computer enhancement animation and CGI. As well Axdelian animation during the storyteller scenes.
Thrones and Thorns was released by Valkyr Films in Axdel on 25 January 2014, in Vakrestrender on 20 January and in Norgsveldet on 1 February 2015. Later released on streaming services Nordflix and Cylinder Entertainment Network on 1 June 2015. It was praised for providing a historically accurate portrayal of Emperor Honoluras, art direction, creative animation with storyteller scenes, and the blend of various different animation styles incorporated into the film. Ñazj Jaulva in particular receiving high praise from critics for their role in voice acting as Emperor Honoluras. It became a commercial success, grossing ♅201.4 million on it's ♅35 million budget not including merchandise sales.
The animated film received a numinous nominations including taking the prestigious Grand Prize award in Valkyr Media Arts Festival and was featured film in Ulvrikian-Auroran Film Festival. Ñazj Jolva received the Best Voice Actor in the Royal Film Awards in Vakrestrender, the first non-Valkyr to-do so in three decades.
Plot
The movie opens with Emperor Honoluras birth, later on showing his childhood being regaled by stories of the classical era of the Kormistazic empire. The stories of the old Kormistazm empire are told within a traditional art style of Axdelian. Young Honoluras was shown to be fascinated by history of the old empire, taking steps to read and learn more about the old ways and customs. As well taking well to his martial education greatly under tutorage of a unnamed wise mentor and a old retired general.
The film goes through his childhood, briefly showing the funeral of his mother and him furthering his own education. Then showing him testing his mettle as a commander in various skirmishes and battles against the Staynish. He bacame popular amongst his generals and soldiers alike, showing Honoluras celebrating with his warriors. He the ascends to being Emperor of Kormistazm proper, leading to more frequent raids and battles against Staynes directly leading his army into battle.
Due to his frequent skirmishes and raids against Staynes, the West Auroran crusades began targeting the Kormistazm Empire. Resulting in the third battle of Corsegap, in which Emperor Honoluras and King Slev III of Stayes dueled each other. Ending the battle with the Emperor holding Slev III hostage then later executing him and placing his head on pike outside of the castle next to a commoners.
The crusades didn't end after Slev III's death, and it shown the consistent battling was taking toll on Honoluras mental and physical wellbeing. The final battle of Hiltop, the Emperor would meet another Staynes king on the field of battle. Honoluras was shown to be already injured during the fighting and exhausted as the Staynish King Lambertus approached him. The battle between the two was short, with Lambertus first having his bodyguards use their spears to stab into Honoluras before initiating the duel.
The during the funeral of Honoluras, it is shown that his successor and nephew Delphus would be taking the throne and announcing he will avenge his uncle.
Production
The animation has been part of a new approach by Morostund Studio to expand it's films into non-Norgsveltian and Nys'tat'en speaking markets. The approach being to first make a historically accurate animation film or series about a important folk hero or figure within the target country to first introduce Valkyr anime into their media market. Then to advertise different historical anime made by the studio previously created dubbed within their language. Additionally creating more historically relaxed and smaller budget anime featuring more minor figures or folk lore to sell into the country assuming the larger film was successful.
Morostund Studio contacted Rulique Technical Arts college about working on the animation together and to assure historical accuracy. Later on taking the director of history Dr. Heiqqo Ñala as a script writer for the film. The commitment to historical accuracy was considered to be paramount to avoid accusations cultural appropriation staining the film and studio.
The studio hired a number of Axdelian actors to voice act in the film, with only handful of extras and the storyteller narrator being from Vakrestrender proper.
Reception
Critical Response
The reviews were broadly positive not only in Axdel but also internationally. The film was discussed among Valkyr critics, such as The Orderbook, Animation Centre, and many ways other. Ñazj Jolva's performance was especially praised highly, even among the more strict and difficult to get approval from critics such as Vegar Opdahl or Iren Helsing. Among the few who took a more negative view of the film, with the Historian Society for Kormistazm focusing on particular the battle portions of the film being overly dramatic and ahistorical, as well the death of Honoluras being not historically corrected. With the duel ending much faster and Lambertus bodyguards was not taking part of the duel between Honoluras and Lambertus according to the historical record. The film itself was award 4.5/5 stars by generated reviews from the critics.